‘Plant five saplings each to save environment’

‘The Government may not be able to take the programme entirely on its own and should involve the local fishermen community in such a way that it also brings some financial benefit to them’

Convener of Sompeta Paryavaran Parirakshana Sangham speaking to media in Visakhapatnam on Monday. Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam

The city has lost a large number of trees due to Hudhud cyclone and pollution by the industries and vehicles continued unabated, raising local varieties of trees that suit the local environment and protecting the surviving trees is important, environmentalist Y. Krishna Murthy said here on Monday.

Another important issue is protecting the coast by growing casuarinas trees, creepers and other sand binders on the beaches. The Government may not be able to take the programme entirely on its own and should involve the local fishermen community in such a way that it also brings some financial benefit to them, Dr. Krishna Murthy of the Sompeta Paryavarana Parirakshana Sangham said while discussing many points regarding the post-Hudhud cyclone scenario in the region, along with J.V. Ratnam of Green Climate.

Spreading mangroves

An important aspect of protecting the coast from the cyclones and high tides is spreading mangroves coverage, which was totally neglected. They recalled that the then British government conducted a survey during 1935 and identified 433 square kilometres of mangrove area in some areas of East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna and Nellore districts while no survey was done to find the spread of mangroves in Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam and Prakasam districts. But the area established after the British survey has now come down to 355 sq.km. while in areas like Rambilli, Pudimadaka, Parawada and Tagarapuvalasa in Visakhapatnam district alone, which were not surveyed, the mangroves that existed had been almost removed due to various reasons, particularly industrialisation.

Over all the areas where the casuarinas plantations, creepers, sand binders, etc. remained undisturbed, the cyclone could not cause much damage while the areas where they were removed, suffered heavy damage. This called for protecting and improving the mangrove cover.

The two organisations wanted the authorities to lift and make erect all the fallen trees that are reviving and to safeguard the saplings that were planted after the cyclone to be safeguarded and protected. “Each one should plant five saplings and protect five trees”, said Dr. Krishna Murthy and Mr. Ratnam.